Various interior and exterior window treatments are utilized in both residential and commercial applications. One such widely used and accepted type of window treatment is the shutter. The shutter is popular because of its pleasing aesthetic appearance, as well as its versatility and functionality. Shutters can be manufactured to accommodate window openings of almost all sizes and shapes. Shutters may be made of wood or may be fabricated from synthetic materials or a combination of wood and synthetic materials to provide the desired appearance and resistance to environmental conditions.
A functional advantage of shutters having adjustable louvers is that the louvers can be adjusted to vary the desired light level to deflect sunlight and reduce glare. The louvers may be opened or closed as required to vary the amount of light and the heat transferred to an interior area through area through a window opening.
Generally, shutters with adjustable louvers are constructed having pivot pins at the opposite ends of the louvers which pins extend into receiving bores in the vertical stiles at the opposite sides of the louver frame. A control rod, or tilt rod, interconnects the louvers so that movement of the tilt rod will impart simultaneous pivotal movement to all of the louvers. While the tilt rod is a generally accepted mechanism for actuating or moving the louvers, it has certain disadvantages. The tilt rod is attached to the edge of the louvers and, therefore, is not always aesthetically acceptable, detracting from the overall appearance of the shutter assembly. Further, the tilt rods are generally connected to the edges of the louvers by means of U-shaped wire fasteners which can become detached or pull out of either the rod or the shutter impairing the functionality of the tilt rod.
Accordingly, there have been attempts to design shutter assemblies to eliminate the tilt rod. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,391 shows a window shutter having pivoting louvers mounted in a rectangular shutter frame and linked together for common pivotal movement by a ganging bar mounted adjacent the ends of the louvers. The bar has pins extending into each end of the louvers spaced from the pivot point of the louver. The louvers are retained in a position selected by the user without imposing significant force on the louvers by magnets mounted in the side of the frame adjacent the ganging bar.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,216,837 discloses an enclosed louver actuating mechanism which employs a rack and pinion gear system for actuating the louvers. The louver mechanism is configured so that manual rotation of one louver will cause the remaining louvers to be rotated. The louver mechanism is contained within a longitudinal slot in a stile of the louver panel and includes pinion gears engaged between opposing longitudinal gear racks. A pinion gear is provided for each louver and is located in the stile between the gear racks so that the longitudinal gear racks translate in opposite directions. Drive pins are received through the longitudinal cover into the pinion gears and then into the louver connecting the rack motion to the louvers. While this approach has some merit, the mechanism utilizing opposed gear racks and separate drive pins and gears is difficult to assemble. This mechanism also requires precise alignment and imposes substantial frictional resistance to adjustment of the louvers.
As indicated above, various attempts have been made at providing an improved mechanism for louver adjustments which allow movement or rotation of a single louver to impart rotation to the remaining louvers. However, there nevertheless exists a need for such a mechanism which can be easily manufactured, easily installed and provided to the shutter consumer at reasonable costs.